The least sexy striker linked to West Ham this transfer window might be Salomon Rondon. The aging West Brom center-forward isn’t an exciting prospect but is he all West Ham need in this window for a forward?
Even with Andy Carroll likely not being offered a new deal and Chicharito and Lucas Perez leaving the team, the most important striker in the system appears to be staying. Marco Arnautovic’s desire to give up on his boyhood dreams of winning Chinese trophies to stay at West Ham is admirable, but it also changes the transfer plans for Pellegrini.
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It’s the best case scenario. The Irons have a lot of holes to plug in their team through the transfer market, but signing a marquee striker is no longer one of them. So, the question must be asked – does West Ham need anything more than Salomon Rondon?
The answer is yes, of course, but as for established, top-flight strikers, the Hammers could only bring in Rondon and then invest in prospective forwards like Neal Maupay or Che Adams in the Championship to build for now and the future.
What you’re getting with Rondon is experience, some may call this age as he is 29-years-old, but he would merely be a bench option, secondary striker, or Cup player when used. He proved he can score in the Premier League with 11 league goals this season with Newcastle, following up his relegation season with West Brom where he netted ten goals in all competition.
With a release clause rumored to be £16.5m, Rondon is by far the cheapest option on the list of strikers that include Maxi Gomez, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Moussa Marega. He’s clearly got the least upside of these three other strikers, but Rondon has shown he can be impactful at the Premier League level.
He also has a history with West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini at Malaga in LaLiga. Pellegrini knows the player well and understands what he brings on the pitch, which should be reassuring if the Chilean does transfer Rondon in. He’s strong, he’s physical, he can hold up play on his own very well, and he’s good in the air.
If West Ham were set on keeping Andy Carroll part of the squad throughout last season as a physical, simplistic plan B off the bench, Rondon offers the same qualities with more effectiveness. While not as exciting as the other options, a deal for Rondon would usher in a bigger splash of cash in other parts of the team.